I have v8.0.8 installed and up and running in Win 10.
It can see my legacy schematics and layouts.
I can export Gerbers.
If i make a change to a footprint and try to save it, KiCad will not allow me to save it.
It gives me a read only error.
Following the guidance of another thread on this topic did not result in anything like a solution.
I have tried to migrate the legacy .pretty folder but KiCad says footprint folder is read only. Seems it says that about all of it’s folders.
Following read only disable via microsoft forum failed epically(big surprise).
I am suspect someone in the KiCad universe will point to a simple solution. I am stumped on figuring out a work around/solution.
It is meant to be read only . . . so what you are seeing is not a bug but expected.
If you need to modify a KiCad supplied footprint you need to save it to your own custom library . . . there is lots of help in the FAQ section if you need it. Have a go, if you need help come back and ask 
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Thanks for reply RaptorUK. I am aware of the KiCad supplied folders being read only. No problem with that. However, it is my own custom footprint, as are 99% of the footprints I use. And it is in my own folder. I never saw this issue in v5.
I did search for this topic and did not find anything, hence I posted.
So far in this v8.0.8 install, it will not let me save ANY footprint that is my own creation.
The path shown in the error message:
C:/Program Files/KiCad/8.0/share/kicad
looks like a system path, while MLH_Parts.pretty looks like a user folder. It looks like you have put your libraries in a read-only area.
You can check this by trying to create a file, say a word processing document, inside that folder and see what happens.
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I don’t think so, Windows 10 is too primitive for that distinction. For Linux, I’d agree.
It is in your own folder, but you created your folder inside the system path. You shouldn’t do this as it could be deleted if you uninstall KiCad!
You should move the folder MLH_Parts.pretty to somewhere else (and then update it in the KiCad library table settings dialog). The default path for user libraries is inside your Documents folder, but you can put it anywhere else you want – it’s just a bad idea to put it anywhere inside Program Files.
Cue in The Church Lady:“Well now… Isn’t that special”.
If custom Footprint folder is within KiCad directory (c:\Program Files), changes to footprints not allowed.
If custom Footprint folder is within c:\Program Files directory outisde of KiCad, changes to footprints not allowed, even as Admin.
If custom Footprint folder is within c:\Users directory, changes to footprints not allowed.
If custom Footprint folder is on Desktop, changes to footprints are allowed.
I made schem symbol folder and footprint folders on Desktop, directed to them through preferences and everything is working nice.
Not at all intuitive, at least not for me.
Thank you everyone for the wonderful guidance.
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NTFS, the Windows filesystem, actually does have a elaborate permission system and even inheritance. It’s just that traditionally Windows has been lax for backward compatibility with old habits. Just stick to directories under your user home directory to stay out of trouble.
Just to be sure – you mean your own home folder under Users, don’t you? You can’t write just anywhere under Users except while being admin.
If you already have tried several different things and have made a mistake, it may be difficult to notice the thing which went wrong. Then the effect stays and nothing will work.
Start once again, create a brand new library under your Documents, copy a footprint into that, open the new copy for editing, edit, save. Never take admin role. What happens?
I’m used to directly think in directory structure and used by Windows any ‘other names’ for other directories just make a mess for me.
At first (when moved from DOS to Windows) I understood Desktop as only the place for icons to run programs and I was surprised when I saw people uploading files to Desktop.
At all PCs I have used I always had at lest two disc partitions:
C:
I left Windows to think about and I don’t interfere with it there until I don’t have to. For example in KiCad V4 documentation there were information that file used as default project when you create new project is located in KiCad directory and KiCad have a problem editing it so it is better to not install KiCad in Program Files directory. As I have read all documentation before first KiCad installation I knew it and made C:\Programs directory and installed KiCad there to have no problem with anything being Read Only. KiCad V4, V5 and V6 I have installed there. From V7 I install in default Program Files directory.
D:
This partition is my work. All my files (including my KiCad libraries and projects) are there. The idea was to be able to format C: and reinstall Windows without corrupting my working files. But Windows crashes totally less often than I expected and during years I used this possibility only once.
Working at D: I was never caught by Windows Read Only restrictions.
E:
If HDD is bigger than I assume I need for C and D I make also E partition for files not being a work like backup of all my photos.
Yes, sorry, I should have read your post more carefully.
As others have said, it’s most likely a Windows thing and more specifically a UAC thing.
System folders such as ProgramFiles are protected from standard User access . . . you need elevated privileges to access them and write to them. This also applies to some User sub-directories.
Thanks Raptor.
Once I started reading about Read Only attribute, I got more suspicious that it was on the MS side, as most issues seem to be.
I was surprised at all the roadblocks in that I am Admin on this machine.
Just glad we got it figured out.
And maybe this thread will help others who run in to this, as I can’t imagine I will be the only one to get stumped by this nonsense.
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I’m not sure we have a common understanding about what being an Admin on Windows means.
Most people who own a computer with Windows in it are administrators through their Windows user account, and they must be if there’s only one user account. But Windows doesn’t automatically give admin privileges for all tasks when you log in. It asks for permission to do specific tasks with the whole screen confirmation or at least a dialog (“You need to confirm this operation” or something like that).
Therefore you can’t abuse your admin privileges accidentally. But you have to understand what you are confirming when Windows asks for confirmation.
For the record, it is not just because of permissions.
I made the installer mark the libraries as Read Only on install. This is a separate flag from permissions.
The intention is you should not modify these libraries. The next time you run the installer, it will completely erase your changes.
Hence the read only status helps encourage you not do that.
If you remove it and then encounter data loss on a upgrade, it is entirely your fault and the kicad project takes no blame 
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